Disposable splash resistant cup lids with a drink-through opening that affix to disposable beverage cups of both dome and non-dome types are generally well-known for a wide variety of carry-out hot and cold beverages. U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,880, Splash Resistant Cup Lid, to Horner, which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference, discloses a splash resistant cup lid designed to prevent spills and splashes caused by beverage sloshing. Horner recognizes the dynamics of sloshing liquids and the benefit of vertical drink-through openings. Horner describes a lid having an opening that comes generally sealed by means of a raised canopy with drink-through slits that remain closed until the canopy is depressed into the lid causing the slits to open and becoming somewhat vertically positioned. Horner teaches that sloshed liquids have a vertical component to their motion with respect to the cup lid, and by creating vertical rather than horizontal drinking openings, much of the fluid will be deflected back into the cup.
In the alternative, the many benefits of dome lids have been described in detail within prior art and are well-known to the general public.
Generally, disposable dome lids are designed to grip and seal upon an outwardly projecting peripheral bead formed for this purpose around a lip of disposable cups. Two methods for attaching disposable dome lids to cups have been described in prior art and are believed to be commonly used in practice. One method provides an annular outwardly projecting groove that snaps into place when pushed over the peripheral bead around the lip of the cup. The annular groove is formed in an annular apron adjacent to a base of the lid. Because of the flexibility of the plastic material used in the manufacture of disposable lids, the annular apron containing the groove is able to momentarily expand while sliding over the bead surrounding the lip of the cup. When in place the annular groove grips the annular bead thereby holding and sealing the lid to the cup. Rather than having an outwardly projecting groove, many disposable dome lids employ a second method of attachment having an inverted annular groove surrounding the lid's base and forming what is referred to as a “plug fit”. When attached, the lip of the cup extends into the inverted groove which applies pressure not only to the cup lip's outer edge but to the inner edge as well. The plug fit method, by applying pressure to both sides of the cup's edge, eliminates the possibility of the cup's lip caving inward causing the seal to break. For this reason, the plug fit can be applied to less expensive cups having a weaker sidewall.
As discussed by Cleveland Benedict Crudgington, Jr. in published United States Patent Application 20050173443, Disposable Drinking Cup Lid, filed Jan. 31, 2005, which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference, regardless of the means for attaching to a cup, disposable drink-through dome lids presented in prior art have been grouped into three distinct types: those that provide a comparatively larger drink-through opening by means of a tear-back flap; those that provide a small drink-through opening positioned within a reservoir having a sidewall that aligns with the user's mouth; and those that provide a drink-through opening by means of a small preformed usually elongated opening intended to be enclosed by the user's mouth during consumption.
Each of these three types of drink-through lids has inherent advantages and disadvantages. The fold or tear-back flap permits the beverage to be mostly sealed within the cup while being transported prior to consumption. Additionally, the beverage is consumed in a manner most similar to drinking from a conventional drinking cup. However, once the flap has been opened, the cup cannot be easily moved about without risk of spilling its contents. Since no provision is made for retaining the beverage that sloshes out through the opening, this type of disposable lid is not suitable for users wishing to consume their carry-out beverage while traveling. The second type of disposable drink-through lid addresses this problem by providing a reservoir which surrounds the drink-through opening. Beverage that sloshes out through the opening, is contained within the reservoir and eventually drains back into the cup. This feature arrests most spills that might otherwise occur while the cup is vertically placed within a moving vehicle. However, this lid is vulnerable to spills from the moment the beverage passes through the opening and prior to entering the user's mouth. Thus, if the user were to be jostled during that time, as when riding over a bump while sipping the beverage, the exposed contents would likely be ejected into the air resulting in a spill. For this reason, although this type of lid is improved for travel, neither are preferable for beverage consumption in a moving vehicle.
With many consumers on the go, carry-out beverages are more often than not intended to be consumed in moving vehicles. Disposable lids, of the kind that provide a seal between the user's mouth and the drink-through opening, have proven best suited for prevention of spills during consumption while traveling. This is based on the wide-spread acceptance of this type of lid used by take-out establishments. However, there are limitations with this type of drink-through dome lid, particularly in regard to consumption of beverages within moving vehicles. Of greatest concern is the safety to the user behind the steering wheel. Besides the annoyance of soiling one's clothes, the sudden distraction resulting from a spill could result in an automobile accident.
Dome lids that provide means for a seal between the user's mouth and the drink-through opening have a number of concerns, the most important being that the beverage is vulnerable to spilling out through the drink-through opening when a relatively full cup is being jostled about. A second smaller drain hole is typically placed within the deepest point of a recess provided for the user's upper lip directly behind the drink-through opening so that spilled liquid caught in the recess can drain back into the cup. Also, a third equally small hole is recommended to alleviate the vacuum left by the discharging liquid, but this third vent hole provides another source for accidental spillage. It should be noted that other patents in related art have described this type of dome lid as having another inherent detriment. They are referring to the need to suck the liquid through the small drink-through opening in order to obtain the desired volume of beverage. However, the widespread acceptance of this type of lid would suggest that the need to suck the beverage from the container is not viewed by the user as an irritant nor a detriment.
Published United States Patent Application 20050173443, which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference, also provides a description of the prior art. Of the references described in published United States Patent Application 20050173443, Clements and Clarke provide certain basic teachings of the features of disposable drink-through dome lids most pertinent to the present invention, namely those having a drink-through opening that is intended to be fully enclosed by the user's mouth during consumption of the beverage contained therein.
As described in published United States Patent Application 20050173443, U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,569 to Clements, which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference, discloses a dome lid which is placed over the lip of a beverage cup, and which extends above the top of the cup so as to provide additional volume. A punched drinking hole is located in an elevated annular ridge formed at the top of the cup lid. Even though elevated above the cup's lip, the drink-through opening may not preclude spillage due to jostling of the cup. Two other openings are described by Clements, one for draining spilled liquid and another for venting purposes. The introduction of these openings as taught by Clements introduces additional opportunities for spillage. Clements further describes a recess behind the drink-through opening intended for accommodating the user's upper lip, thereby forming an annular ridge about the drink-through opening. This ridge is intended to be sealed by the user's upper and lower lips, yet Clements fails to address the means by which the user's upper and lower lips would best form a seal about the drink-through opening.
As described in published United States Patent Application 20050173443, U.S. Pat. No. 6,644,490 to Clarke, which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference, teaches a dome lid as taught by Clements with the introduction of a press-out tab formed outside the annular periphery of the lid during manufacturing. Clarke discloses means to prevent accidental spillage by providing a method to plug the drink-through opening during times that the beverage is not being consumed. While this teaching provides novel means for sealing the drink-through opening, the tab must be repeatedly engaged and disengaged with every sip. Additionally, the procedure cannot be easily accomplished without the use of both hands, namely one hand to hold the cup while the other operates the tab. Furthermore, the addition of a tab suspended to one side of the lid may prove annoying to the immobile user who has no need for this feature.
As described in published United States Patent Application 20050173443, U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,781, Disposable Dome Lid For Drinking Cups, to Van Melle, et al., which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference, also provides basic teachings that have relevance to the present invention. As described in published United States Patent Application 20050173443, Van Melle discloses a dome lid with a raised volume-extending section and a drink-through spout above the upper surface of the volume-extending section. Van Melle attempts to overcome the disadvantages of prior art particularly in consideration of the accidental spillage of carry-out beverages in moving vehicles. Van Melle teaches spills due to sloshing are further reduced by elevating the drink-through opening above the volume-extending section. Van Melle teaches that a generally rounded spout is more adaptable to the natural shape of the user's lips, therefore enabling the user to generate a liquid-tight seal with less effort.
Thus, despite some improvements to drink-through lids, limitations still exist that result in spillage from sloshing and contact between the lid and the user's mouth. Other limitations include a proliferation of accidental spills. Prevention of vehicle accidents is of paramount importance and presents a safety concern for the carry-out industry. But particularly annoying is the more frequent occurrence of spills resulting in the soiling of business attire while commuting to work or the soiling of evening attire while riding to an important social outing.